Enhanced gas adjustable bolt carrier

Abstract

Disclosed is bolt carrier for a firearm wherein the bolt carrier has an adjustable gas flow feature to control the amount of gas used to cycle a bolt carrier group that the bolt carrier is located in. The adjustment of the gas flow can be used to regulate the gas flow as require by changes in ammunition, addition or removal of a sound suppressor, and a desire to alter felt recoil of the firearm. The gas flow feature includes one or more gas adjustment valves that fit into the bolt carrier and that can be used to reliably and rapidly alter the gas flow in a repeatable fashion to cycle the bolt carrier group.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A bolt carrier for a firearm comprising:
 a bolt carrier having a gas hole, said gas hole in communication with an internal space in said bolt carrier, said internal space forming a portion of a gas chamber; and   a gas valve bore in said bolt carrier, said gas valve bore in communication with said gas hole and said internal space, and said gas valve bore adapted to receive a gas adjustment valve for regulating a flow of a gas from said gas hole into said internal space.   
     
     
         2 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a gas adjustment valve, said gas adjustment received in said bore, and said gas adjustment valve regulating a flow of a gas from said gas hole in said bolt carrier into said internal space. 
     
     
         3 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said gas adjustment valve has a shaft with said shaft being received in said bore. 
     
     
         4 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said shaft has a shape matching a shape of said bore and said shape of said shaft and said shape of said bore prevent rotation of said shaft in said bore. 
     
     
         5 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said gas valve bore passes through said bolt carrier, said bore having a first end and a second end. 
     
     
         6 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said first end has a first diameter and said second end has a second diameter, with said second diameter being smaller than said first diameter, and said bore further comprising a shoulder stop in said bore, said shoulder stop located adjacent said second end. 
     
     
         7 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising a shaped opening, said shaped opening located adjacent said first end. 
     
     
         8 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a gas adjustment valve, said valve having a shaft, a head and a shaped end;
 said shaft including a gas hole passing through said shaft, said shaft received into said bore, said gas hole in said shaft aligned with said gas hole in said bolt carrier;   said shaped end matching with said shaped opening and thereby preventing said valve from rotating in said bore when said shaped end is received in said shaped opening; and   said gas hole in said shaft regulating a flow of a gas from said gas hole of said bolt carrier into said internal space.   
     
     
         9 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said head has a diameter that is larger than a diameter of said bore, said diameter of said head preventing said valve from passing completely through said bore. 
     
     
         10 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said bore is threaded. 
     
     
         11 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising a gas adjustment valve, said valve having a threaded shaft and a head;
 said threaded shaft received into said threaded bore; and   said shaft in said bore regulating a flow of a gas from said gas hole of said bolt carrier into said internal space.   
     
     
         12 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said head of said valve is in the shape of one of a hex screw head, a slot, a plurality of slots, a star shaped screw head, or a hexagonal bolt head. 
     
     
         13 . The bolt carrier as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said head has a diameter that is larger than a diameter of said bore. 
     
     
         14 . A gas adjustment valve for a bolt carrier of a firearm comprising:
 a shaft;   said shaft shaped to be received in a bore in a bolt carrier thereby regulating a flow of a gas from a gas hole in said bolt carrier into an internal space in said bolt carrier.   
     
     
         15 . The gas adjustment valve as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said shaft is threaded. 
     
     
         16 . The gas adjustment valve as recited in  claim 14 , where said shaft has a gas hole through said shaft, a diameter of said gas hole regulating a flow of a gas from a gas hole in said bolt carrier into an internal space in said bolt carrier. 
     
     
         17 . The gas adjustment valve as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said valve has a head and said head has a shaped end. 
     
     
         18 . The gas adjustment valve as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said head includes an index symbol, said index symbol related to said diameter of said gas hole in said shaft. 
     
     
         19 . The gas adjustment valve as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said shaped end prevents rotation of said shaft in said bore of said bolt carrier. 
     
     
         20 . The gas adjustment valve as recited in  claim 17  wherein said head of said valve is in the shape of one of a hex screw head, a slot, a plurality of slots, a star shaped screw head, or a hexagonal bolt head.